Pairing: M/M

ARC Review: HeartOn by Amy Jo Cousins

February 10, 2018 by Katie, Back Porch Reader Leave a Comment

About the Book

When an injury sidelines NFL player Deion McCaskill—maybe permanently—he heads to Miami to stay with an old college teammate and his boyfriend. He packs his tailor-made suits, anxiety about the future, and the bisexuality he’s ignored for years because it didn’t fit with his drive to succeed at football’s most elite levels.

Set designer Carlos Kelly has always known he’s bi, but dating women is easier than making waves with his Puerto Rican/Irish Catholic family. His friends and coworkers from the theater community might be almost entirely on the rainbow spectrum, but Carlos keeps things simple. Except for this heat that keeps flaring between him and the hot football player visiting his best friend.

Two weeks. Two guys who’ve never explored their bisexuality before and don’t plan on coming out, ever. One promise to let each other try out every fantasy they’ve ever had. Zero feelings involved.

At least, that was the plan. . .

The Finer Details

Narrative Arc: Series

Series Detail: Full Hearts, book 2

Series Arc: new relationship

Publication Date: January 25, 2018
Publisher: Self-Published
Editor: Christina Soule Desir
Cover Artist: Black Jazz Design
Length: Novel, 196 e-book pages
POV: 3rd person
Tense: Past
Pairings: Male/Male
Identities: Bisexual
Genre(s): Contemporary, Interracial

Tropes and Tags: athlete, sexual identity awakening, opposites attract, closeted, friends to lovers
Settings & Locales: Miami, Florida
Ending: HEA

Find and Buy

Add the book to your goodreads shelf.

Advance Review Copy generously provided by the author.

Back Porch Thoughts

Rating

4.5 Stars

Rating Info

Ratings stick closely to the GoodReads standards. Occasionally I’ll make note of half-star ratings and will typically round up on GoodReads reviews and other sites where I may cross-post.

Stars	Goodreads	What this means to me
5	AMAZING	This totally knocked my socks off, and I might end up a crazed fan (from a respectable distance).
4	Really Liked	This was truly enjoyable, and I’d recommend it.
3	Liked	It was good, and I’m glad I read it, but I may have had some issues.
2	It was okay	There were likable parts but I definitely had issues.
1	Didn't like	I read the whole thing but....
1 DNF	Didn't like	I read past 50% (at least) before giving up.
0 DNF	No Rating	I couldn't even make it to 50%, but I still feel the need to share my thoughts.

Review

Seems I’ve been reading a lot of HEAVY STUFF lately. So, when this book made its timely way across my radar, I couldn’t pass it up.

COULD NOT.

It was the perfect medicine for these bleak winter months. Almost summery in the lightness and the setting of the nearly always summer Miami.

I LOVED it. Truly and completely.

HeartOn can be read as a standalone because the nature of the romantic interests finding their bliss is entirely separate from the first book in this series. But, c’mon. Read the first book because it’s also pretty fucking amazing. And, if you’re not convinced, there are plenty of sweet little enticing nuggets inside this book that’ll surely lure you back to that first one and will whet your appetite for more.

Both Carlos and Deion are bisexual, and both pretty deeply closeted for reasons. Mainly, probably, because playing it straight is the easiest, the path of least resistance when it comes to family and career. This…resonates. Big Time. I just, y’all. This struck nerves. The good kind that had me nodding my head off in YESSSS THIS!

Their thought processes, the way they’ve managed Life-Of-Bi thus far, the coping mechanisms, the denials, the not having people to talk to, or the words to make it real. Have mercy, that all rang so true. And a few times I thought, Amy Jo, get outta my freakin’ head!

These guys are an absolute delight as they navigate the attraction. They’re tentative, a bit shy, and adorkable little cinnamon rolls figuring out how to Gay Sex. There was this war in me that had me trying to stifle giggles and wanting to give them hugs of encouragement, wanting to shout at them Don’t Forget the Lube.

And, ya know, vacation trysts can be all sorts of steamy. Sometimes expiration dates are good. They help keep things contained. Gives folks a legit out to get back to the normal every day and chalk it up to an experience. Something to remember and cherish fondly.

BUT FEELINGS!

Oh yeah, when feelings emerge — the kind that Just. Won’t. Go. Away. Well, going back to the Days of Denial is impossible, though not always tidy.

And trying to find all those answers, consider a whole new path in life that impacts everything, career and family, and geography, and all the things — especially when one is a public figure. It was a pressure cooker without too much angst. Okay, some angst. Because how do you face all that without angst?

A two-week vacation should not have angst — unless it’s THIS KIND.

This book is thoughtful and fun. The strength of the friendships. The humor—gah! Plenty of sweet and sassy inside jokes — those intimate little things we get the pleasure to be in on. And getting to check in on Benji and Josh from the first book was all kinds of fun.

I’ve read a goodly number of AJ’s books. One thing I’ve learned is that this author is One-Click Worthy. Mainly because I know that she’s going to explore all corners of the emotional journey she takes her characters on in the most thoughtful ways with a lightness that doesn’t bog down the pace. The characters feel like friends, the kind you’d haul your ass outta bed on a lazy Sunday to meet for brunch or even offer to help move into new digs.

HeartOn was an absolute delight.

About the Author

Amy Jo Cousins writes contemporary romance and erotica about smart people finding their own best kind of smexy. She lives in Chicago with her son, where she tweets too much, sometimes runs really far, and waits for the Cubs to win the World Series again. Amy Jo is represented by Courtney Miller-Callihan of Handspun Literary Agency.

Connect:

ARC Review: Abroad Book 2 by Liz Jacobs

January 1, 2018 by Katie, Back Porch Reader Leave a Comment

About the Book:

The heartwarming and romantic conclusion to the duology celebrated by Teen Vogue as “a nuanced and sexy take on growing up and learning to accept who you are.”

Nick Melnikov has finally done it — he’s come out.

To himself. To his sister. And to Dex, who listens, hears him, and understands. To Dex, who kisses him and shows him all that they could be, if Nick could only find the courage. It’s one thing to let yourself be open thousands of miles away from your family, but exchange student Nick is uncomfortably aware that his time with Dex is running out. Who will he be when he goes home again?

Dex Cartwell is as happy with Nick as he’s ever been, but he can’t ignore the shadow of Nick’s inevitable departure from London, back to his life in Michigan. Is it worth it for Dex to expose his heart to another doomed relationship with a predetermined expiration date? What does Dex really want for the beginning of the next chapter in his life, post-graduation?

Dex wants to turn to his best friend in the struggle to find a way forward, but Izzy Jones has her own problems. She’s got one friend in love with her, and when she turns to another for help things get twice as complicated. Izzy never wanted complicated, but life just keeps getting in the way — and sweeping her off her feet.

Then Nick’s mom and sister come for a visit, and he is forced to decide between living his truth and protecting himself from fear and change. It’s going to take a lot of courage and a few leaps in the dark if Nick, Dex, and Izzy are to find a way to live and love on their own terms.

The Finer Details

Narrative Arc: Series

Series Detail: Abroad, book 2

Series Arc: ensemble of relationships

Publication Date: January 2, 2018
Publisher: Brain Mill Press

Cover: Design by Ampersand Book Design, Illustration by Megan J. Smith
Length: Novel, 425 e-book pages
POV: 3rd person, limited to 3 or more main characters
Tense: Past
Pairings: Male/Male, Female/Female, Male/Female
Identities: Gay, Demisexual, Bisexual, Transgender
Age Range(s): 18 to 21, 22 to 25
Genre(s): Contemporary, New Adult

Tropes and Tags: ensemble cast, sexual identity awakening, closeted, friends to lovers, virgin
Settings & Locales: London, England
Ending: HEA

Find and Buy

Brain Mill Press | Amazon US

Add the book to your goodreads shelf.

Advance Review Copy generously provided by the publisher.

Back Porch Thoughts

Rating

5 Stars

Rating Info

Ratings stick closely to the GoodReads standards. Occasionally I’ll make note of half-star ratings and will typically round up on GoodReads reviews and other sites where I may cross-post.

Stars	Goodreads	What this means to me
5	AMAZING	This totally knocked my socks off, and I might end up a crazed fan (from a respectable distance).
4	Really Liked	This was truly enjoyable, and I’d recommend it.
3	Liked	It was good, and I’m glad I read it, but I may have had some issues.
2	It was okay	There were likable parts but I definitely had issues.
1	Didn't like	I read the whole thing but....
1 DNF	Didn't like	I read past 50% (at least) before giving up.
0 DNF	No Rating	I couldn't even make it to 50%, but I still feel the need to share my thoughts.

Review

The first book in the Abroad duology left us teetering on the mighty cliffhanger also known as OMG WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?! Where Nick and Dex are taking tentative steps into Relationshipville. Izzy is coming to terms with realizing her sexuality while the earth quakes beneath her feet since learning about a secret crush that has the power to rock a seriously good friendship.

Book two picks up just where we left off with morning afters and more questions begging to be answered as this crew of friends navigate college life, the path to the big-time of adulthood, and trusting in the ties that bind.

Nick, a Russian-American studying abroad in London, is angst incarnate and prone to anxiety attacks that bring him to his knees when faced with the idea of coming out to his mother. He’s so in his head he can’t bring himself to confide in his amazing set of friends, or Dex in these early days of being part of a couple. Which, as a forty-something, it’s easy for me to want to shake him and tell him to talk to his people, these friends who effortlessly brought him into their fold and have surrounded him in safety and a soft place to land as he learns to accept himself. But it only takes me a few seconds of sifting back through my memories of old secrets and insecurities to get it — that fear of opening up. So instead of giving him a shake, I’d rather just hug him tight and tell him to breathe.

Dex, he comes across as one of the surest, self-aware characters with a clear-cut path to his future. He knows himself, knows what he wants, seems comfortable in his skin. But, here we get to see a little bit of a different side of him. A vulnerable spot where it comes to his feelings for Nick, wanting the approval and support from his family. He’s nearly ripped open at the seams while he and Nick work to overcome obstacles with a deadline. Because even for those who think they’ve got both feet on the ground, know what’s what, have a clear and determined picture of selfdom, the future, and their rock-solid friendships — it doesn’t take much to turn certainty on its ear.

And Izzy. My oh my how I love this darling girl. In my review of book one, I wasn’t wholly convinced we needed her story woven around Nick and Dex. To be sure, I wanted her story just…separate. Her own book perhaps. But while looking forward to book two, I found myself itching to get back to her, needing her journey as it was a little like looking in a mirror, one that had gotten sort of foggy over the passage time. She’s just lovely and most definitely the story I needed twenty-some-odd years ago.

Even though Abroad takes place in this decade and in a specific place with very specific cultural elements, it also manages to be timeless and a tale that transcends borders. I loved every moment of this rollercoaster ride of emotions. I laughed, I cried, and my heart was in a clench for these characters. This book was everything, and the two books together are simply amazing.

Liz Jacobs has proven her writing chops, yet again, with gorgeous words of introspection and the emotional journeys that dig deep into all the uncertainties of early adulthood. This is profound and masterful. Utter perfection.

About the Author

Liz Jacobs came over with her family from Russia at the age of 11, as a Jewish refugee. All in all, her life has gotten steadily better since that moment. They settled in an ultra-liberal haven in the middle of New York State, which sort of helped her with the whole “grappling with her sexuality” business. She has spent a lot of her time flitting from passion project to passion project, but writing remains her constant. She has flown planes, drawn, made jewelry, had an improbable internet encounter before it was cool, and successfully wooed the love of her life in a military-style campaign. She has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize for her essay on her family’s experience with immigration. She currently lives with her wife in Massachusetts, splitting her time between her day job, writing, and watching a veritable boatload of British murder mysteries.

Connect:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Goodreads

About the Cover Artist:

Abroad: Book Two features the original work of artist Megan J. Smith of the Repeal Hyde Art Project.
Megan is an artist, activist, and social worker. They founded the Project in 2011 to raise awareness and create dialogue about the Hyde Amendment. Since then, they have collected 400 birds, created over 100 shareable graphics, and facilitated 30 university-based Repeal Hyde Art Project installations. Megan has also designed artwork and materials for numerous reproductive health and rights organizations. Megan is the recipient of the 2015 Arts and Healing Network Award for Arts and Social Change and on the Board of Directors for the Abortion Care Network. They reside in Boston with their partner and their 13 year-old cat, Boxer.

ONE LAST THING before you go! Liz Jacobs popped in yesterday with a guest post — you can check it out here.

Thank you so much for visiting Back Porch Reader. I wish you all a fantastic 2018!

Release Day Review: Rebel by Rhys Ford

December 29, 2017 by Katie, Back Porch Reader Leave a Comment

About the Book

The hardest thing a rebel can do isn’t standing up for something — it’s standing up for himself.

Life takes delight in stabbing Gus Scott in the back when he least expects it. After years of running from his past, present and the dismal future every social worker predicted for him, Karma delivers the one thing Gus could never—would never—turn his back on; a son from a one-night stand he’d had after a devastating break-up three years ago.

Returning to San Francisco and to 415 Ink, his family’s tattoo shop, gave him the perfect shelter to battle his personal demons and get himself together… until the firefighter who’d broken him walked back into Gus’s life.

For Rey Montenegro, tattoo artist Gus Scott was an elusive brass ring, a glittering prize he hadn’t the strength or flexibility to hold onto. Severing his relationship with the mercurial tattoo artist hurt but Gus hadn’t wanted the kind of domestic life Rey craved, leaving Rey with an aching chasm in his soul.

When Gus’s life and world starts to unravel, Rey helps him pick up the pieces, and Gus wonders if that forever Rey wants is more than just a dream.

The Finer Details

Narrative Arc: Series

Series Detail: 415 Ink, book 1

Series Arc: new relationship

Publication Date: December 29, 2017
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Length: Novel, 240 e-book pages
POV: 3rd person, limited to two main characters
Tense: Past
Pairings: Male/Male
Identities: Gay
Age Range(s): 30 to 34, 26 to 29
Genre(s): Contemporary

Tropes and Tags: abusive elements, emotional agony, best friend’s sibling, body art tattoos/piercings, chosen family, reunion/second chance romance
Settings & Locales: San Francisco, California
Ending: HEA

Find and Buy

Dreamspinner | Amazon US | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | KOBO

Add the book to your goodreads shelf.

Advance Review Copy generously provided by the author.

Back Porch Thoughts

Rating

4.5 Stars

Rating Info

Ratings stick closely to the GoodReads standards. Occasionally I’ll make note of half-star ratings and will typically round up on GoodReads reviews and other sites where I may cross-post.

Stars	Goodreads	What this means to me
5	AMAZING	This totally knocked my socks off, and I might end up a crazed fan (from a respectable distance).
4	Really Liked	This was truly enjoyable, and I’d recommend it.
3	Liked	It was good, and I’m glad I read it, but I may have had some issues.
2	It was okay	There were likable parts but I definitely had issues.
1	Didn't like	I read the whole thing but....
1 DNF	Didn't like	I read past 50% (at least) before giving up.
0 DNF	No Rating	I couldn't even make it to 50%, but I still feel the need to share my thoughts.

Review

YAY! A new series!!!!! Tattoo Artists!!! Second Chance Romance!!! Chosen Family!!!!

Y’all, I am excited and, as always with a Rhys Ford book, head-over-heels filled with glee to get my hands on this.

The beginning got off to a minor clunky start — which just might’a simply been me not catching on fast enough which way was up and who was who, whose head I was in, what was the past and what was the now of the story. But the clouds parted fast enough that I was IN it in the way I am with all of Rhys’ stories from the sights and sounds to a litany of emotions.

This story is a killer on the feels. The back stories are painful and violent with parental malevolence I can barely fathom, and it tore me to shreds.

But look — chosen family — that’s the key to this whole thing. The men here have a brotherhood bond that is stronger than what I witness in genetic siblings. They banter, they tease, they’re each others strength and voice of reason. They are in it forever, all for one and one for all.

Rey and Gus — they also have that enduring tie that binds. They’ve got tons of history, a lot of it painful, tons of knots to untangle in order to forge their way forward. Every one of those strings tugged at my heart.

Gus needed to come home to move beyond his tragic past, but also to step up to the plate for a new life-long responsibility of raising the son he’s just learned about. Rey is either a distraction he could do without or the extra bit of strength and reassurance he needs.

It’s no secret I’m in love with just about every word Rhys Ford writes. Snatching up her books is an automatic, I don’t even have to ponder it for a second. She’s pretty well known for dead bodies and scary things, some mystery or madness. This is straight-up contemporary, which she doesn’t do so often. But don’t get any ideas that it’s all hearts and rainbows because this book is a throat punch of emotion.

Despite the start, that could have been my fault as a reader, and despite the horrors of horrific childhoods, this was gorgeous.

About the Author

Rhys Ford was born and raised in Hawai’i then wandered off to see the world. After chewing through a pile of books, a lot of odd food, and a stray boyfriend or two, Rhys eventually landed in San Diego, which is a very nice place but seriously needs more rain. Rhys admits to sharing the house with cats of varying degrees of black fur and a ginger cairn terrorist. Rhys is also enslaved to the upkeep a 1979 Pontiac Firebird, a Toshiba laptop, and an overworked red coffee maker.

Connect:

Website | Email | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

ARC Review: Just Like Honey by Ajax Bell

December 16, 2017 by Katie, Back Porch Reader Leave a Comment

About the Book:

Can He Paint His Muse into 36 Views of Seattle?

Artist Ryan Ikeda’s domestic bliss shatters after an invitation to join a career-launching gallery show in 1990s Seattle. His artistic uncertainty and secret desires, dangerous as turpentine and flame, threaten to torch his bond with Ben, his handsome boyfriend and muse.

Suddenly, instability rocks every aspect of Ryan’s life: his grandmother’s sinking health, his friends moving on to new jobs, even his apartment is endangered. Worst of all, Ben’s work demands more time away from home, the overload of changes jeopardizing the stability of their open relationship.

Ryan’s long-time friends advise him to jump headlong in to the colorful Seattle art scene. However, Ryan’s deep examination of his creative needs outline new demands for his life with Ben. Striving for both balance and success, Ryan faces the greatest risks of his personal and professional life.

Just Like Honey peeks inside working artists’ studios, cruises the 1990s Seattle bar scene, and eavesdrops on artists gossiping about their competitors at hot gallery shows, while Ryan and Ben explore the communication and tenderness required for a deep, open relationship.

The Finer Details

Narrative Arc: Series

Series Detail: Queen City Boys, book 3

Series Arc: new relationship

Publication Date: December 15, 2017
Publisher: Jugum Press
Length: Novel, 367 e-book pages
POV: 3rd person
Tense: Past
Pairings: Male/Male
Identities: Gay, Polyamorous
Age Range(s): 30 to 34
Genre(s): Historical

Historical Era: Recent History (1980s – 1990s)

Tropes and Tags: established relationship, artist, open relationship
Settings & Locales: Seattle, WA (1997)
Ending: HEA

Find and Buy

Amazon US

Add the book to your goodreads shelf.

Advance Review Copy generously provided by the author via IndiGo Marketing and Design.

Back Porch Thoughts

Rating

5 Stars

Rating Info

Ratings stick closely to the GoodReads standards. Occasionally I’ll make note of half-star ratings and will typically round up on GoodReads reviews and other sites where I may cross-post.

Stars	Goodreads	What this means to me
5	AMAZING	This totally knocked my socks off, and I might end up a crazed fan (from a respectable distance).
4	Really Liked	This was truly enjoyable, and I’d recommend it.
3	Liked	It was good, and I’m glad I read it, but I may have had some issues.
2	It was okay	There were likable parts but I definitely had issues.
1	Didn't like	I read the whole thing but....
1 DNF	Didn't like	I read past 50% (at least) before giving up.
0 DNF	No Rating	I couldn't even make it to 50%, but I still feel the need to share my thoughts.

Review

The books in this series, The Queen City Boys, are bittersweet and authentic glimpses into the days of a semi-recent yesteryear. A time, for me, that feels not so long ago. They span the 80s, into the 90s and the era of power ballads. And…that’s kind of what they are, grunge-streaked love songs and heart-rending odes to a place and time when the last strands of innocence were being stripped away as we counted down to the dawning of a new century we couldn’t yet envision.

I fell in absolute love with the first two books and have not-so-patiently but very, very quietly bounced in my seat in anticipation of this newest book. Because I don’t want to be that person, pestering an author, with when, when, whens and GIMME IT NOWs. They take as long as they take, and it’s always worth the wait.

Just Like Honey was everything I hoped, nothing I expected, but an achingly sweet treat.

It dives headlong into the cut-throat Art Scene of Seattle and is utterly fascinating due to the who-knows-who gossipy business that has the power to make or break a career. Drama y’all, painted up all pretty on the surface but has some twisted hues underneath.

And it brushes up beautifully with a cultural exploration into Ryan’s heritage, one he’s trying to grasp and honor in his art without a whole lot of help from his family. He has pieces he tries to fit together into a tableau he can mold and shape into his art to share with the world, only it might be too late.

We dive right into a relationship that’s in a precarious place, somewhat on the rocks, and could honestly go either way. In fact, I kept waiting for everything to fall apart irreparably and I expected to bite my nails to the quick while Ryan got down to the business of picking up the pieces. But that’s not quite what this is. And it’s sort of rare, I think, for romance to introduce us to and explore the ups and downs of a relationship in progress. I appreciated that immensely as a bit of a twist to what I’ve become used to.

Ryan is caught in that in-between place where everything is fine, but not exactly what he needs. The boyfriend situation…fine. His art…fine. His friendships…fine. It’s okay. It’s treading water. It’s safe, mostly. But it’s not everything it could be or should be for complete happiness. And he knows this and becomes restless as what ifs start bubbling to the surface.

Ryan’s world gets turned on its ear and those little whispers of is this okay, is this my life, and what if I… start getting louder and can no longer be ignored and the people who love him and know him best prod him to clear away the fog.

The open relationship he shares with Ben that has always worked in the way they needed is now, well, not as fulfilling as it once was. Can he talk to Ben about what he needs and be heard? And just how open is Ben to reshaping their dynamic?

Ryan’s art is glorious, but doesn’t feel like his authentic voice…but what is that voice? Is it the one that he keeps hidden in the back of the closet because someone once said a thing that’s made him doubt himself? Should he press on and embrace what truly inspires him, or throw in his brushes for good?

Ryan faces problems and challenges, that alone feel insurmountable, but are still daunting when you have a partner who doesn’t always feel entirely present. He struggles, and angsts, and pushes at his boundaries and…(not spoiling!)

This is about deeper levels of trust and communication with those you love, taking chances, getting out of your own way and following dreams — reshaping those dreams and figuring out what to sacrifice to make them come true. And do we really need to sacrifice anything at all?

The writing is gorgeous. I can swear I feel Ajax’s soul on these digital pages. Every word and action cuts to the bone with raw sensuality and so much depth I didn’t want it to end.

About the Author

A SEATTLE NATIVE, AJAX BELL thinks the best things in life are loud music and bourbon. No matter the task, Ajax always has the right pair of shoes for it. Never a sea captain, but a background in library sciences and a lifetime of pencil pushing together left Ajax with a rich fantasy life and a compulsive need to write it down. One day Ajax hopes to own a genetically altered hippopotamus the size of a small dog.

Connect:

Promotion activities coordinated by Indigo Marketing and Design.

Release Day Review: The Christmas Fling by Heidi Cullinan

December 12, 2017 by Katie, Back Porch Reader Leave a Comment

About the Book

Eccentric, reclusive, socially awkward project designer Evan Myles doesn’t date. Paying for sex with professionals is so much more efficient and suits his needs well enough. But when he’s on assignment in rural Logan, Minnesota, for the Christmas Town project and a handsome stranger at the bar catches his attention, Evan decides it’s time to break his rule. It doesn’t matter that he’s never so much as flirted before. It can’t be that hard, can it?

Davidson Incorporated lead architect Terry Reid hasn’t been hit on so clumsily in his life. Terry’s the first to admit he’s a neurotic Prince Charming, and he’s kissed his share of frogs of both genders, but he’s never met anyone quite like Evan Myles. Evan calls Terry by the wrong name, mistakes Terry for a simple construction worker, and picks apart his work as an architect. Despite this rough start, Terry is lured by the brilliance of Evan’s ideas, his quirky personality, and once they’re alone in Evan’s cabin, the man’s mad skills in bed. Yet Terry knows it takes more than a single night of passion to make a relationship work, and after so many failures, he’s just not ready to try again.

Evan and Terry’s path is strewn with stones neither of them can dislodge. Fortunately, they’re not alone on the road to romance. They’re in Christmas Town, home to matchmakers, meddlers, and more “fairy godfathers” than they could possibly know what to do with.

Most importantly, in Logan, Minnesota, happy ever after is guaranteed.

The Finer Details

Narrative Arc: — select —
Publication Date: December 12, 2017
Publisher: Self-Published
Editor: Sasha Knight
Cover Artist: Kanaxa
Length: Novel, 207 e-book pages
POV: 3rd person, limited to two main characters
Tense: Past
Pairings: Male/Male
Identities: Gay, Bisexual
Genre(s): Contemporary, Holiday
Holiday: Christmas
Tropes and Tags: mistaken identity, office romance
Settings & Locales: Minnesota
Ending: HEA

Find and Buy

Amazon US | Amazon UK | iBooks | KOBO | Smashwords

Add the book to your goodreads shelf.

Exclusive Teaser!

Advance Review Copy generously provided by the author.

Back Porch Thoughts

Rating

4 Stars

Rating Info

Ratings stick closely to the GoodReads standards. Occasionally I’ll make note of half-star ratings and will typically round up on GoodReads reviews and other sites where I may cross-post.

Stars	Goodreads	What this means to me
5	AMAZING	This totally knocked my socks off, and I might end up a crazed fan (from a respectable distance).
4	Really Liked	This was truly enjoyable, and I’d recommend it.
3	Liked	It was good, and I’m glad I read it, but I may have had some issues.
2	It was okay	There were likable parts but I definitely had issues.
1	Didn't like	I read the whole thing but....
1 DNF	Didn't like	I read past 50% (at least) before giving up.
0 DNF	No Rating	I couldn't even make it to 50%, but I still feel the need to share my thoughts.

Review

If you’re a fan of the Minnesota Christmas series, then this spinoff is just the ticket. We’re back in Logan, Minnesota, y’all! And “Christmas Town” is almost ready for its debut. A familiar landscape and characters we know and love are the sparkly backdrop to Evan and Terry finding their way together.

Haven’t read the Minnesota Christmas books? Fret not my friends. This can certainly be read as a stand-alone. Just try not to get too bogged down with all the names of the townsfolk and relationships from previous books — and then go read those books because they’re a blast!

As super excited as I was to get back to the gang in Logan and get a new romance out of the trip, The Christmas Fling wasn’t exactly my favorite, but delightful all the same.

There’s a huge mistaken identity plot-line that takes up a good portion of the book. A cautionary tale, if ya will, to be careful if you find a cute shirt at Goodwill with an embroidered name that’s not yours.

Initially, this misunderstanding was a chuckle-worthy blast, and I couldn’t wait to see how Terry would get himself out of that pickle.

But the simple misunderstanding soon became The Big Secret that Terry waffled about coming clean on for a long, long time all while Evan was hell-bent on finding his lost fling.

I’ve got no quibbles as to why Evan didn’t figure things out sooner on his own — it’s all explained and makes sense. And I can kinda get why all the people around Evan who were in the know didn’t spill the beans. It all fell to Terry. And…come to find out, Terry has some issues of his own that also make sense and maybe should’ve been detectable sooner, but for me came just a tad too late in the story, and too much anticipatory tension knowing, knowing, knowing that it was all going to explode.

But LISTEN! This is an enormously fun read. If you think you’re gonna get a light-n-fluffy holiday tale to cozy up with next to the fire…well, this is not that. There’s angst, there’s drama, there’s off-the-charts kinky sexy times because Heidi Cullinan can bring the business. The community atmosphere of Logan is sublime, and the characters are people I’d like to call friends.

I’m thrilled to have taken another trip to Logan to meet a few new folks, and I can’t wait to see what’s next in the series.

About the Author

Heidi Cullinan has always enjoyed a good love story, provided it has a happy ending. Proud to be from the first Midwestern state with full marriage equality, Heidi is a vocal advocate for LGBT rights. She writes positive-outcome romances for LGBT characters struggling against insurmountable odds because she believes there’s no such thing as too much happy ever after. When Heidi isn't writing, she enjoys playing with new recipes, reading romance and manga, playing with her cats, and watching too much anime.